Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Restore Voice of America Operations After Year-Long Shutdown

U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered the Trump administration to restore the government-run Voice of America's operations after it had been effectively shut down since March 2025. The ruling requires the U.S. Agency for Global Media to develop a plan within one week to put Voice of America back on the air and return hundreds of employees from administrative leave to active duty. The shutdown had left the internationally-focused broadcaster largely non-operational for a year, impacting its mission to provide news and information globally and undermining U.S. soft power efforts. The court order represents a significant judicial rebuke to the administration's handling of the independent media agency, which is protected by statutory independence requirements. Judge Lamberth's ruling cited violations of the agency's statutory mandate to provide independent news coverage.

"The U.S. Agency for Global Media must develop a plan within one week to put Voice of America back on the air and return hundreds of employees from administrative leave to active duty." — From Judge Royce C. Lamberth's court order requiring restoration of Voice of America operations